It Must Have Been Love (But It's Over Now)
by lgbtdisaster
Summary: Toni had ran away from home two years ago. She had left Riverdale, and The Serpents behind… She had also left Cheryl Blossom. Cheryl Blossom who felt like home, and made Toni feel grounded and like her head was up in the clouds all at once. If you asked her why, she wouldn't tell you.
1. Chapter 1

The apartment building that Toni Topaz resided in was far from luxurious.

It was freezing, and you could almost always hear some form of disturbance coming from the other residence. It wasn't a pleasant place and it certainly wasn't family friendly. It was a place to stay if you were a small time drug dealer, and needed a place to do business or if you were broke. Toni was the latter.

It was very rare that people would move in or out of the apartments. Most people who set up camp there were set for a very long time, because as Toni knew better than most, it was hard to leave rock bottom.

Toni had ran away from home two years ago. She had left Riverdale, and The Serpents behind… She had also left Cheryl Blossom. Cheryl Blossom who felt like home, and made Toni feel grounded and like her head was up in the clouds all at once. If you asked her why, she wouldn't tell you. She'd shrug, maybe make an awkward joke, and act like the thought alone didn't break her heart into pieces.

Their affair was brief, but magical.

Toni had cut it short before it had even taken off, really. She left without a word, only a note placed on Cheryl's pillow. She apologized, but god, it wasn't enough.

Cheryl had suffered more than enough loss in her life, and Toni knew that. She knew it, and she still left her. That's probably what hurt Cheryl the most.

Toni would say that she doesn't think of Cheryl at all if you asked her. That would be a lie. It's been two years, and she still crosses Toni's mind at least a couple of times a day. Whether it be a song, or the colour red… Everything always comes back to Cheryl Blossom somehow.

Toni wrote to her once. She wrote her a letter, five pages long that expressed everything she had once been afraid to say. It still didn't give the redhead much of an explanation, but it was something. It was progress. Toni woke up every morning for the next few weeks, and checked her mailbox right away.

Nothing came.

Months passed, and nothing came.

She accepted it.

She deserved it.

Toni always hoped for more than what she had. From being a child, she had never had much in terms of possessions or material things and she hoped one day, if she worked hard enough, she could have everything that she had ever wished for. That was a part of why she ran away, actually. As much as she loved The Serpents, she needed out. If you joined the gang, you stuck with the gang. It was a simple as that, and the thought of being stuck on the Southside of Riverdale for the rest of her life drove her crazier than anything.

It seemed like a great idea at first, to run away. She thought she was bettering herself, but she was stuck somewhere that was extremely similar to The Southside. She should have just stayed there. At least back home she had people she could call family, and all she had now was a neighbour, and a couple of girls who tended bar with her.

Said neighbour was currently hunched over the bar, nursing a glass of rum, while Toni talked his ear off about all of her problems. It probably should have been the other way around, but Nate didn't mind. He was actually there for Toni more often than not. He didn't have anyone else either, and they took comfort in each other. It was strictly platonic, and Toni made that clear from the day they met. He was more than okay with that, just happy to have a friend in the building who wouldn't potentially kill him if he looked at them the wrong way.

"Hey, I know what'll cheer you up," Nate offered, a mischievous smirk on his lips.

Toni quirked a brow.

"A saw a hot, redhead moving in across the hall from you this morning. She seems kinda bitchy, but she's easy on the eyes. I asked her if she needed any help moving her boxes, and well… Let's just say she didn't."

 _I bet she's not as hot as my redhead_ , Toni thought.

Toni scoffed, imagining Nate getting a telling off from their new neighbour.

"Did you ask her if she needed help, or did you try hitting on her?" Toni asked.

"Maybe a little, but I thought I was subtle. I was just confused, she looks like a city girl."

Toni frowned. "I wonder what the hell she's doing here, then."

Nate shrugged, and his focus went back to his drink. Toni didn't think anymore about it, and just hoped that next few hours would go quickly so she could have a drink herself and go home. It was sad, really, the life she was living. It was very much the same every single day. She would wake up around noon, and get ready to go to work in the evening, then she would drink and go home. Most of her days looked like that, and she couldn't help but think about how she was at least a little happier in Riverdale. Back there, she still had passion. She went out, she took photographs of pretty things, she went on dates, she hung out with her friends. Now… She did nothing.

The thoughts of going back stopped around a year ago. She considered it on and off for a while, but decided firmly against it. She couldn't look back. She had to move forward, even though she wasn't doing much moving at all.

She left her phone behind, so nobody had any means of contacting her.

She could imagine Sweet Pea's frustration. She could imagine Fangs missing her when he went to The Wyrm. She could imagine FP slamming his fist against the wall when he heard the news. After all, she was the only one besides him who seemed to be able to keep them all in line.

They were probably furious with her, she thought.

She wondered if she ever crossed their mind, now that some years had passed.

Toni had a vision when she ran away. She imagined herself travelling from place to place, meeting interesting people along the way and having the time of her life. Some dreams weren't meant to become a reality, it seemed. Every time she envisioned her future though, Cheryl was always right there beside her in the car, turning the radio up and dramatically singing along. Her biggest regret? Not having the courage to ask Cheryl to run with her.

Later on in the evening, after a couple of beers, Toni decided to head back to her apartment. The bar wasn't exactly lively, and she was actually craving her own company. She often did that, just enjoyed being alone. She was used to being on her own now, and for the most part, she preferred it that way.

Of course, the elevator was broken in the building and she was on the sixth floor. It wasn't anything too drastic, but when she was wearing heals it was practically an Olympic sport.

Three… Two…

Almost there, she thought.

A sigh of relief left her lips as she reached her floor, and she began to slowly walk along the hall towards her door. For a moment, she revisited her conversation with Nate about the new girl who had moved across the hall from her. It wasn't exactly the kind of place where you would knock on the door and welcome someone to the building, but still, she was curious.

As she approached her door, a figure came into view.

Red hair. Red leather skirt. Thigh high boots.

God… She was just like her.

It couldn't be…

"Toni?"

 _Well, shit._


	2. Chapter 2

"Toni?"

…

It had to be a dream. It had to be an extremely vivid, lucid dream.

In what world would Cheryl Blossom be living in a run down apartment, in the middle of nowhere?

Toni had so many questions.

Had she found her somehow? Had she kept the letter, and decided now was the time to visit the return address? Or was she here by chance? Had the universe worked it's magic and thrown them back together again? Was Cheryl as gobsmacked as Toni was?

It seemed so.

"Cheryl… I-" Her words were lost on her tongue. How could she possibly speak when the love of her life had somehow appeared in front of her, after two years, in a place where she thought she would never be found?

"What are you doing here?" Toni asked, trying her best to conceal the shakiness of her voice.

Seeing Cheryl again made everything come rushing back for Toni. It felt like the first time. It felt like the chilly, December afternoon when Cheryl Blossom had entered The Whyte Wyrm, following closely behind Jughead, with her face screwed up in disgust.

See, with Cheryl and Toni, it was never a question of 'if' it was always a question of 'when'.

 _"My, Jughead, you do bring us to the loveliest of places. Which crackden are we visiting next week?" Cheryl questioned, eyes scanning the room. She critiqued every single person in her head, and toyed around with some nicknames. She kept them to herself though, deciding that Jughead probably wouldn't appreciate it if she vocalised her opinions. She would hate to admit it, but she was actually rather pleased that she was being included in their outings. A lot of the time, she felt pushed out by 'The Core Four', but it seemed they were making an effort with her these days and it meant a lot to her._

 _She would never tell them that, though._

 _Veronica's arm was looped with hers, and Cheryl could tell the raven haired girl was trying to hold back her giggles._

 _Betty and Jughead were leading the pack, of course, and Archie was following close behind. Even though they were visiting The Southside more frequently now, Archie was still weary of The Serpents. That was probably due to what had been drilled into his brain though._

 _It was Cheryl's first time at The Whyte Wyrm, and Jughead made than obvious when he introduced her, and only her, to one of his friends. She assumed that Toni Topaz, had met the rest of the gang before._

 _"Toni, this is Cheryl Blossom. Cheryl, Toni Topaz." Jughead introduced the pair, and he cringed as soon as he spoke, like he was waiting for Cheryl to say something out of line._

 _Cheryl could have swore she heard soft gasps from her friends when, instead of insulting the girl or putting her foot in her mouth, she complimented her._

 _Cheryl leant against the bar as she spoke. "Pleasure, and can I just say? I love those pants. Albeit, a tad edgy for my taste."_

 _"Well, uh, thank you?" Toni said, and her eyes locked with Jughead, who simply shrugged. He had given Toni a warning about Cheryl, and how she often didn't keep her thoughts to herself, and honestly? It intrigued Toni._

 _Cheryl intrigued Toni._

 _And as the evening went on, Cheryl found herself perched on a bar stool, chatting to Toni as the others played pool at the other side of the bar. For some reason, she had declined the offer to join them, and instead decided to 'keep their new friend company.' Blood red nails tapped on the hardwood of the bar, as Toni poured a couple of drinks for the few customers that were present._

 _"Can I ask why you're in a gang? I mean, your flannel mesh aesthetic gives off slightly thuggish vibes, but you're a little on the small side." Cheryl pondered._

 _"You wouldn't believe the things I'm capable of, Bombshell… And don't call me a thug, or I might have to show you." Toni told her with a smirk, a challenging look in her eyes._

 _Cheryl matched her smile, as her fingers placed her straw in between her lips before taking a long sip from her Cola. Toni had explained they didn't have cherry flavour. Obviously, this displeased the redhead and she asked if they had a suggestion box._

 _Toni told her she didn't, but apparently she found the question hilarious because she couldn't stop a giggle slipping past her lips._

 _Toni didn't giggle._

 _Jughead knew this._

 _Jughead observed the pair, and gave a roll of his eyes._

 _He could see where this was going._

…

A huff. A deep frown. An angry Cheryl Blossom.

Toni could handle Cheryl. She could handle Cheryl better than most people, but she hadn't handled her in over two years and now she was caught completely off guard, so when the redhead starting to rant and yell at her, all she could do was stand frozen on the spot.

"What am I doing here? What the hell are you doing here? I can't believe this, Toni. This is where you ran away to? This is the place that you decided was so much better than home?"

Little did Cheryl know, home to Toni Topaz, was Cheryl Blossom.

Cheryl went on, "I- I really didn't mean anything to you, did I? What is it? Are you cohabitating with someone? Is that why you left? You know what? I actually don't want to know. I haven't thought about you in.. In two years."

A lie, of course.

"So, I'm not going to start now. Ah ah." Cheryl put her hand up in front of Toni's face as the other girl was about to speak. "Conversation over. Goodnight, Toni."

Cheryl reacted to her heartbreak the best way she knew how, with defence mechanisms and harsh words. Everything had happened so fast, that Cheryl still wasn't sure if the entire scene that had just happened was in her imagination or not.

She slammed the door to her apartment behind her, and slid down the wall slowly as she cried silent tears for Toni Topaz.

It wouldn't be the first time.

Unbeknownst to Cheryl, Toni was doing the exact same thing across the hall.

Cheryl looked like a dream. After not seeing her for so long, Toni wondered if she could actually be as beautiful as Toni was imagining her. Toni thought that no one could possibly so effortlessly stunning, but Cheryl was. It had been years, and the Cheryl who lived in Toni's mind didn't hold a candle to Cheryl in the flesh.

Everything happened so fast.

Toni couldn't have spoken if she wanted to.

So many thoughts were rushing through her mind. One moment, she was seeing Cheryl again and the next she was being told that the conversation was over. It didn't seem like much of a conversation at all, and from how things had just gone, Toni doubted they would have a conversation anytime soon.

One thing that was confirmed though, was that Cheryl hadn't come looking for Toni.

It was self centered of her to even consider that option.

The confirmation only left Toni with more questions though.

The main one being: What the hell was she doing here?

Was she okay? What was she running from? Was she running at all?

After everything the pair had been through, and as angry as Cheryl was with Toni, she hoped she was okay too. She hoped that Toni had found whatever it was that she was looking for. She hoped that she was safe, although she questioned that given the place that she was living in. Cheryl certainly didn't feel safe, because as she sobbed she could hear quite the heated argument in the apartment next to hers.

She wondered if Toni could hear it too.

There was something quite comforting about knowing that Toni was only a measly few inches away from her.

It was the closest they had been in years. Cheryl suddenly felt guilty for going off on Toni the way she did. She was angry, of course… She would probably never stop being angry and hurt from what Toni did to her but still.

She loved her.

She still loved her.

And god, was it painful.

Across the hall, Toni had managed to stand to her feet. She didn't know how long she had been sat on the floor for, but it must have been a while because when she clicked the lock button on her phone to check the time, it was two in the morning. Toni wondered if Cheryl was still up. She assumed not. When they would have sleepovers back in Riverdale, Toni was the one who pushed Cheryl to stay up a little later, but Cheryl insisted on getting her beauty sleep.

 _"If you think I'm a handful now, Toni, you should see me when I don't get my eight hours."_

Toni smiled fondly at the memory.

That's all she had of her now. Memories.

Well, actually she had one of Cheryl's shirts that she often wore for bed. It wasn't very Cheryl Blossom at all, when Toni thought of it. It was a dark, oversized t-shirt that Toni wore more often than she would like to admit. She also wouldn't care to admit how long she went before washing it for the first time after she left, to preserve the smell of Cheryl.

It was incredibly creepy, she thought.

She changed into said shirt, and crawled into her double bed. The freshly washed sheets and fluffy blankets provided a comfort she most definitely needed. She curled into herself, squeezing her eyes shut tightly, and silently begging for sleep to come.

It didn't.

It didn't for Cheryl, either.

The redhead decided against moving from the floor. She sat, frozen in her spot. She chewed on her nails, a habit she hadn't touched since she was a pre teen, and gazed off into the emptiness of her apartment. She looked so broken. If Toni could see her now, her heart would break. Cheryl Blossom was tough. She was was fearless. She wasn't the empty shell of a girl, sitting on a freezing floor, pining over Toni Topaz.

She was allowed to be, just for the night. In the morning, her war paint would be back on, and her tough exterior, even if she was falling to pieces on the inside.

It was another hour before Cheryl stood to her feet. She ambled over to the kitchen, and flicked the light on, deciding that she better have something to drink. After all the tears she had cried, she needed to rehydrate.

She rubbed her eyes, not caring about ruining her mascara because she was way passed that, when she heard shuffling from outside of the door. She panicked at first, and prayed that she had locked it. In the building she was in, she knew for a fact she couldn't just leave her door open.

Her fear turned to curiosity as a piece of paper was slid underneath her door.

She rolled her eyes.

Toni.

She stood still for a few seconds, until she heard a door shutting on the other side of the hall, before she went to retrieve the note.

 **'I'm sorry. Please, let me know if you need anything.**

 **The first few nights here might be a little rough.**

 **Yours,**

 **TT. x'**


	3. Chapter 3

Toni called in to work the following couple of days claiming to be unwell. She rambled on to her boss about how she couldn't stop throwing up, and due to her perfect attendance so far, he didn't mind. He was quiet, and some may say a little strange but Toni was rather fond of him. She would often chat to him, and although he didn't give her much back, he was a great listener. His name was Murphy, and Toni owed her life to him, really. He gave her a job as soon as she showed she was capable, and even let her stay above the bar for a few weeks before she found herself an apartment.

Okay, so yes Toni was underage and technically her work was illegal but she had an extremely good fake ID and around the area, no one would ever question her. The cops avoided the place at all costs. She hadn't actually seen one police officer in her whole time living there, and that's how she liked it. She didn't do too much illegal activity anymore, but she had a bad track record with the police from her Serpent days. She wanted to avoid them as much as she could.

So, for the first time in two years she was taking time off work.

The reason? Well, she'd be lying if she said it wasn't Cheryl.

She was concerned. She wanted to make sure that Cheryl was safe, and that she didn't have any trouble and the best way she could make that happen was to be close at all times. She was sure Cheryl didn't want her help, which is why she made no other attempts at communication, but the walls were thin and if Cheryl had any trouble, Toni would hear it.

And god help whoever would attempt to give Cheryl Blossom trouble.

It's not that Cheryl couldn't handle herself, but she was from an extremely privileged background. An opposite upbringing to Toni's. Toni had to learn to fend for herself from an extremely young age, so she was born tough. She came out fighting, and she hadn't stopped.

She was small, but mighty.

Toni's Mom was an alcoholic, and her Father bailed on the two of them a few months after Toni was born. Her Mom died when she was eleven, and the closest family member she had was her Uncle, who she then lived with. He wasn't much of a parental figure though, and Toni basically raised herself. She learned to cook and clean, and keep herself organised for school.

She did a lot of things that no child should have to do.

She should have been having a childhood.

Toni had felt protective of Cheryl since they first met. After their first meeting, Cheryl began stopping by The Wyrm a lot more often. She then even started visiting without Jughead, or any of the others. This definitely piqued Toni's curiosity as to why, but she wasn't complaining. Cheryl would sit and chat to her for hours, and then Toni would give her a ride home on her motorcycle. The first couple of visits, Cheryl refused to get on the death trap, but Toni was extremely persuasive and soon Cheryl was riding on her back, arms wrapped tightly around Toni's waist, grinning like a fool.

 _"Do you want to sleep over tonight?" Cheryl had asked Toni, when she dropped her off one evening._

 _Toni let out a nervous, breathy laugh and scratched the back of her head._

 _"Are you sure Mother Dearest would allow that? She didn't seem too fond of me when I dropped by last week."_

 _"She's out of town…" Cheryl hummed, looking around innocently._

Toni didn't have to say anything else. She entered Thistlehouse for the first time, and was astounded by the interior. Of course, Cheryl gave her the grand tour and went through all of the Blossom family history. Usually, things like that would have disinterested Toni but she was clinging on to Cheryl's every word.

It may have just been because it was Cheryl though.

She could read the back of a cereal box and Toni would be staring at her dreamily, pleading for her to continue. She was a lovesick idiot then, and she still was now. Nothing had changed, and she feared it never would.

 **Knock. Knock. Knock.**

Toni was suddenly pulled from her thoughts when someone started pounding on her door. She frowned and sat up in bed. No one ever visited her. She had no one to visit her. The only person who ever did was Nate, and he usually yelled 'Topaz' at the top of his lungs, so it definitely wasn't him.

She decided to ignore it. It was probably some idiot in the building fooling around and running away or something. She hated that she still had to live in fear of someone knocking at the door. Things like that were things that she wanted to leave on The Southside, but it seemed that would always be her life. She would never have everything she wanted. Some people were destined for a life like the one Toni was living, and it seemed she fit into that.

The knocking persisted. Toni huffed, and crept over to the door. Her hair was a mess, she was wearing Cheryl's oversized t-shirt and small shorts, paired with some knee high socks. It wasn't her best look, but it was only one in the afternoon and she had practically just woken up. Toni stood on her tiptoes to look through the peephole, and she was taken aback at the sight of Cheryl Blossom waiting outside of her door, with an annoyed look on her face.

Toni smiled at the sight, and then the smile dropped as she looked down at her own appearance. It was too late to do anything about it though, so she held her breath and opened up the door, revealed the redhead looking as gorgeous as ever.

She wished she could tell her that.

"Good morn-"

Cheryl didn't even let her finish. "I need to borrow some coffee." She said blunty, not even meeting Toni's eyes.

"Coffee?"

"Yes, Toni. Coffee. I need you to give me some coffee, because I don't have any and I have no idea where the store is around here. So, you could point me in the direction of the store, or give me some coffee. I don't care which." Cheryl really wasn't softening. Her voice was firm, and her eyes still didn't lock with the shorter girl's. It would be considered rude to anyone else. To just, storm over to someone's apartment and demand coffee but Toni didn't mind.

She didn't mind, because she knew her.

Maybe she was just being delusional, but Cheryl Blossom was a proud girl. If she was so desperate for coffee, she would have walked miles to find a store just so she didn't have to speak to Toni. Toni thought that there may be the tiniest possibility that Cheryl wanted to see her.

Maybe even speak to her. Well, she could dream.

Toni took a couple of steps back before speaking again, "I could make you a coffee, if you'd like." She offered, already knowing that it would be a firm no.

"Fine, but don't talk to me."

Well, Cheryl Blossom was always surprising her.

Toni nodded silently and waved her arm to welcome Cheryl into her home. She was quite proud of the apartment. She had worked for the past two years to make it into a home, and compared to the rest of the building, it was practically a palace and it was very Toni.

Toni watched as Cheryl observed the room, and took everything in. She was extremely curious to know what critiques Cheryl had. She was about to ask, but then remembered the no talking rule that the other girl had put in place and she decided against it. She could ask another time. Well, she hoped. Perhaps this would be the last time the two would interact. Then again, she thought that the night she left Riverdale would be the last time they would interact and it seemed like life was full of surprises.

Cheryl was happy to see that it only seemed to be Toni who lived in the apartment. It was rather small, and as she made the short walk from the door to the kitchen, she took in the tiny details from around the room. It was very Toni Topaz. Her camera was placed on the coffee table, along with some of her favourite books. Cheryl remembered reading some of those very books to Toni some nights.

Toni claimed it helped her get to sleep. Cheryl thought she just liked the sound of her voice.

Cheryl was right.

Toni made them both a coffee silently, the only sounds to be heard were the ones from the clinking of the spoon against the mugs. There were also some faint yelling sounds coming from below them, but Toni had learnt to drown them out by now. It would take Cheryl some more getting used to. Toni wanted to ask how Cheryl how the past couple of nights were. She wanted to ask if she was okay. She knew that Cheryl didn't really like to sleep alone, and she knew she was afraid of the dark. She also knew that Cheryl was on her guard as she drifted off to sleep. After living with parents who she couldn't trust, it made her extremely cautious to anything.

Honestly, the apartment building was hell for Cheryl, and it would be until she got used to it.

Cheryl sat down at the small table in the kitchen, and Toni sat across from her. She placed the mugs down, and Cheryl uttered her quiet thanks. Toni still didn't speak, as much as she wanted to. She was extremely chatty when it came to Cheryl, and their conversations would often go on for hours and hours about everything and nothing all at the same time. She missed it. She missed everything. Sitting across from Cheryl now was just a cruel reminder of everything that she'd lost.

After twenty three minutes of unbearable silence, Toni gave in.

"How've the past couple of nights been?" She asked.

"Fine. I'll get used to it, I suppose. Obviously, it's nothing like I'm used to but I can make it work… Also, I have noticed you broke my rule but I haven't spoken to another human being for a week, so conversation isn't exactly unwelcomed." Cheryl shot back, her fingers wrapped tightly around her mug. Toni noticed her chewed nails, and chipped nail polish. That wasn't Cheryl. She took pride in her nails, and always made sure they were perfect. It must be all of the change, she assumed.

"Noted. Are you okay, though?" Toni asked.

There was an elephant in the room, and they were obviously both well aware of it. Toni didn't want to ask too much of Cheryl at the moment though, and if she was okay with dancing around the subject of why then Toni was too, as curious as she was.

Cheryl chewed on her bottom lip, that was coated with her signature red lipstick and nodded. Cheryl was well aware that Toni knew her better than anyone else though. Toni would know she was lying.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No." Cheryl snapped at her. "Because the last time I opened up to someone, they left me in the middle of the night. So, forgive me for not wanting to reopen old wounds."

Cheryl was bitter, and she had every right to be.

And well, Toni couldn't argue with that. She simply nodded her head, and kept her eyes locked on the table, wondering where they would go from there. She wondered if Cheryl would stay furious at her forever, or if she would ever give her a chance to explain herself.

Then, along came Nate with the worst timing possible.

"Topaz! Hey, Topaz! Let me in." He said, banging on the door. It was usually locked, but he tried the door anyway and seemed surprised when he came crashing right through. Toni buried her face in her hands, and hoped that he wouldn't say anything too idiotic and embarrass her in front of Cheryl.

"Hey- This is the chick I was telling you about. You charmed her that quickly? Nice." Nate laughed, but Cheryl certainly didn't see the funny side.

"She didn't charm me, you dweeb. Wow, Toni. You're friends with this idiot? I must say, I'm surprised. I thought you kept better company than this, although you were friends with Sweet Pea and he is questionable." Cheryl said, eyes flicking back and forth between Nate and Toni.

"And as for you, kindly, get the hell out. Antoinette and I have some things to discuss, not that it's any of your concern." Cheryl practically barked at him, and Toni just waved a hand at him to leave and as if to say I'll explain later.

Nate threw his hands up in defence, and left a few moments later.

"I see you're still as charming as ever." Toni teased Cheryl, unable to resist.

"Of course. Nothing, not even this place can change Cheryl Blossom."

"Now, for those things we need to discuss?" Toni asked.

"Simply a rouse to get him out of the apartment. Try not to dwell." Cheryl had a slight glint in her eyes, and Toni could see the life in them for the first time since they had reunited.

Perhaps, it was fate. Perhaps the two girls, sitting across from each other sipping their coffees in silence, were meant to be. Perhaps the universe was greater than the two of them, and maybe all the signs were aligning perfectly so that the pair could be together again. God, how Toni hoped this would end well. She had worked for two years to accept the fact that she would never see Cheryl again, let alone be with her but now that she was back in her company, it was hard not to crave her.

She had always craved her.

So they sat, making mindless conversation as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened between them, for the rest of the afternoon. Toni felt young again. They danced around the tougher subjects, and spoke as if it was just another day in Riverdale, and they were catching each other up on what had happened that day.

Cheryl was still angry.

She was trying her best to not let it get the best of her, just grateful that she got to be in Toni's company once again.

They would have to talk about it.

Just not yet. Toni was happy to live in the delusion for just a little bit longer.

"I'm glad you're here." Cheryl was being honest. The redhead didn't think she would have been able to survive in a place like that without Toni across the hall. Even if the pair weren't spending time together, it was comforting to just know she was there. She was there, and she hadn't been there in so long.

"I wish I could say the same… But this place isn't quite right for the Cheryl Blossom I know."

"Maybe the Cheryl Blossom you know doesn't exist anymore."

Toni hoped she wasn't right.

"Nice shirt, by the way." Cheryl smirked.


	4. Chapter 4

"So, how'd you know her?"

It had been four days, and Toni still hadn't been to work. Honestly, the last few days had toyed with her emotions more than ever, and she knew that her mind would be far too preoccupied for her to not mess up at the bar somehow.

She would go back tomorrow evening. She would.

Nate was over, because of course, his curiosity was at an all time high. He had been texting her all day, bugging her to hang out with him so that he could get the details on what the hell was going on with her, and the hot redhead from across the hall.

"She's… an old friend." Toni told him, which was of course, the understatement of the year. Cheryl Blossom was much more than an old friend. Much more than an ex. Much more than a lover. She was the undeniable, fate stricken, love of her life.

"An old friend who you used to fuck?"

"Don't be crass, Nate. We dated, back where I lived before here." Toni didn't talk about it much. She had never actually disclosed the name of the town to Nate, because it wasn't important. It didn't matter. It shouldn't matter to her, except it does. Toni ran, but it was probably the biggest mistake of her life. Riverdale now looks like the perfect escape… Although, it would be too hard to turn around and go back.

"So, what? She track you down or something?" Nate asked, frowning slightly in confusion as he supped on a bottle of beer from Toni's fridge.

Toni scoffed. "Doesn't seem like it. She nearly had a heart attack, and ripped my head off when she first saw me. It's fucking crazy, out of all the damn places she could wind up in, why here? Why now? It's been two years, I don't even know how to feel."

"Guessing you ended on bad terms?"

"The worst. I didn't tell her I was leaving, or anything. I just left. Worst decision of my life." Her voice turned slightly quieter, as she reached for the packet of cigarettes on the table. "You know how stressed I am? This is my tenth one today and I've been up for two hours… Fuck." She huffed, bringing the cigarette to her lips and lighting it up before taking a long drag.

"She'd kill me for smoking."

 _"Antoinette Topaz! What on earth are you doing? Get that thing out of your mouth now!" Cheryl yelled over as she approached Toni in the parking lot at The Whyte Wyrm. She buried her face in the crook of her elbow dramatically, so not to breathe in any of the fumes._

 _Sweet Pea and Toni were in deep conversation, but they both lost their train of thought as soon as Cheryl came rushing over to the pair of them. Sweet Pea had a deep frown on his face, and he watched Toni closely for her reaction._

 _They had only known each other for a few weeks, and Cheryl seemed to be on her frequenting visits. It had never even occurred to Toni that Cheryl didn't know she smoked._

 _"Hey, I didn't know you were-"_

 _"Put that thing out!"_

 _"No? I smoke, Cher."_

 _"Oh, so you're fine with killing yourself slowly?"_

 _Toni chuckled. "I guess so."_

 _"Well, your chances of ever getting a kiss from me have gone down to zero." And with that, Cheryl turned on her heels to enter the bar, to wait for Toni to return._

 _Eyebrows shot up in surprise at the words that tumbled from Cheryl's lips. Toni hadn't even considered… Well, she had, but she had never considered the possibility of Cheryl wanting to kiss her. Now that, was new information that she was definitely glad she knew._

She didn't smoke again, after that.

Well, that was until after she left and the stress of starting a new life became too much for her. Once, Cheryl Blossom had caused her to stop smoking and now she was the reason Toni was smoking so much.

"So, what's she doing here? She looks like damn princess. She won't survive… Well, unless Romeo protects her from the big, bad, drug dealers that is. Have you seen her today?" Nate hummed, a teasing tone to his words.

"No idea. I didn't ask. She didn't ask me why I came here either… Well, she sorta did but then she dropped it. It's just weird. I don't know how to act around her, she's different." She sighed. "I guess we both are, and no. I haven't seen her today, I wanted to check in but I don't want to rush things."

Toni went back to work the following evening.

She saw Cheryl again for the first time in days the following evening.

Fate had worked it's magic once, but it seemed it would keep throwing the girls together.

"Vodka cranberry please, no ice."

"I'll have to see some ID please." Toni said, a teasing smile playing on her lips.

Cheryl ignored her, and leaned in across the bar. "I must say Toni, you haven't really given yourself an upgrade. You've gone from one crappy bar to another. What exactly made you move here? The Southside is better than this place."

Toni rolled her eyes, knowing that Cheryl had a point. It really was no better. It was actually a hell of a lot worse, and if Toni knew… Well, she probably still would have moved. Wanting to escape The Southside wasn't her only reason for leaving, but they would get to that.

The pink haired girl placed Cheryl's drink on top of the bar for her, and took a crumpled up five dollar bill from her pocket and placed it in the register. "It's on me. I get off at eleven, you can get me one back then." Toni said.

"You wish."

It gave them both a feeling of nostalgia, being back in a bar together. Cheryl spent so much of her time at The Wyrm, keeping Toni company. It reminded her of when things were simpler. If only she knew how much would change in a couple of short years.

"What are you doing in a place like this anyway, Bombshell? You only used to visit The Wyrm because I was there, if my memory serves. You always said you were far too good for these kind of places, and that a cocktail bar was more your style."

Cheryl rolled the straw for her drink in between her fingertips. Her eyes wandered for a moment, as she took everything in. It was still surreal to see Toni, and it still felt as though she was dreaming. She cleared her throat before she spoke. "We don't have many fancy cocktail bars in Riverdale. They're more of a city spot. It's a shame I couldn't afford to move there, actually. But Mumzi drained all of my accounts."

"I see The Evil Queen strikes again… Is that why you're here?" Toni asked.

"Well, why are you here? Hm?"

Toni ducked her head, shaking it from side to side. "We're not getting into this now."

"You owe me an explanation, Toni. You can't just leave me wondering for the rest of my life. I don't care if it's going to hurt me. You hurt me enough when you left, so believe me, I can take it."

"You got everything you needed in the letter I sent you." Toni snapped at her, trying to keep her voice down. She was at work after all, but still. Toni knew Cheryl was angry, but so was she. She attempted to make amends, but Cheryl ignored her.

"What letter?"

"Don't act dumb, Cher. It doesn't suit you." Toni couldn't contain the scoff that escaped her. _What letter?_ Toni had never been so honest in her entire life. Sure, she left out a few minor details but she gave Cheryl the explanation that she needed. What she said was the truth, it just wasn't the entire reason. She also told her exactly how she felt about her, so that Cheryl didn't blame herself.

"Do I look like I have any idea what you're talking about, Topaz? I told you. I didn't get your letter."

"I'm not doing this right now, Cheryl. I'm working, we'll talk about it later." Toni had two years to think about everything that she wanted to say to Cheryl, should she have ever seen her again, and now her words were lost. Honestly, they could have had the conversation right then and there but she didn't know what to say. Of course, she still felt all of the same things and she had spent so long on that letter that she could probably recite it, but… She just didn't know what to say. Or how to say it.

"You don't get to call the shots anymore. You're going to come to my apartment as soon as you get off, and you're going to give me an explanation. Believe me, Toni, it better be good."

Well, Toni was in for a fun night.

Cheryl sat on the beat up sofa in her apartment, wishing that she was anywhere else. Even Thistlehouse, where her abusive Mother resided, would have been better. She had put up with her torture for years, she could handle it for a little longer.

She was regretting leaving.

Partly, because she wouldn't have had to run into Toni Topaz. She wouldn't have had to face her feelings head on once again. Feelings that she had tried so hard to push down to the bottom of her core since Toni left her.

See, Cheryl Blossom didn't handle feelings very well at all. It's part of the reason why she appeared so cold to everyone on the outside. She liked it that way. It kept people away from her, people who could possibly hurt her. She had taken a chance on Toni, and let her in. Not that she had much choice in the matter, because she was definitely thinking with her heart when she met Toni. And just as Cheryl should have expected, Toni left. Toni hurt her.

"You really oughta lock this door, Bombshell." Toni announced as she went crashing through the door to Cheryl's apartment.

"Most people aren't rude enough to just come barging in."

"Oh believe me, around here they are."

She tapped her nails impatiently on the side of the couch, and glared at Toni from across the room.

 _Yep_ , she thought, _this is going to be awesome_.

"...Okay." Toni said, smiling awkwardly as she shrugged her backpack off her shoulders and dropped it onto Cheryl's kitchen floor. She made the short walk over to the living room, and sat down, a fair distance away from her, on the couch.

She didn't know how to start.

They sat in uncomfortable silence for a while.

"You know what's funny?" Cheryl asked.

"What?"

"When I ran into you again, I thought you might be different. I thought two years might change you, but no. It seems you're actually the same. Keeping me out of the loop, not being honest with me. You're exactly the same, Toni." Cheryl said, her eyes fixed on the wall, not even glancing in Toni's direction.

"Don't you dare. You have no idea… You-You have no idea how different I am." Toni turned to face Cheryl on the couch, and her expression was from happy. "Being away from Riverdale, from you… It changed me. I've been stuck in this hell hole, alone, for the past two years."

Cheryl finally looked at her, eyes wide and arms crossed. "And that's on you! That's your choice! You were the one who left. You were the one who left everything behind, including me, without a word. I have no sympathy, Antoinette. You brought everything on yourself."

Toni could feel her hands shaking, and she clenched her fists and attempted to keep herself calm.

"Only because your nightmare of a Mother forced me to!" Toni exclaimed.

And there it was. There was the real reason why Toni Topaz left Riverdale, and with it, the love of her life. It was all Penelope Blossom's fault.

Cheryl shouldn't have been surprised, but she was.

It was definitely a Penelope move.

Like her Mother hadn't done enough to ruin Cheryl's life, she had taken the only person who made Cheryl think that everything might be worth it. The only person who gave Cheryl the strength to keep pushing through it, after Jason.

Cheryl sat with her mouth open in shock for a few minutes, and her face turned sour once more as she processed exactly what Toni was telling her.

"Did she… Did she _pay_ you?" Cheryl know if she could handle the answer.

"What? Is that seriously what you think of me? That I'd take some handout, and just leave you that easily? Do you know me at all, Cheryl?" Toni was more than offended that Cheryl would even think for a second that Toni would choose money over her.

Toni continued. "She said she was going to hurt you, and god knows, she's done enough of that already. She said if I didn't leave, then she'd… She'd send you away, to fucking conversion therapy, Cheryl. I couldn't let her do that to you. I knew me leaving would hurt you, but that crap would have left you scarred."

Cheryl, for once in her life, was at a loss for words. She just… Gazed at Toni, as if she were the most amazing thing in the entire world. Toni had really sacrificed everything to make sure Cheryl was okay. To make sure that she was safe. Toni hadn't hurt her, well, she hadn't meant to at least. She wasn't the monster that Cheryl had painted her as for the past two years.

The only monster was her Mother.

Toni stood to her feet. She huffed and shook her head at Cheryl, still extremely bothered by the fact that Cheryl thought she was bought. "Well, now you know." She said, helplessly as she turned around to leave.

"No." Cheryl said, standing up to follow her. Fingertips reached out to gently grab the shorter girl's biceps. "You don't get to walk away from me again."

Toni felt like her skin was on fire, it was the first time Cheryl had touched in her two years… It was the first time anyone had touched her in two years. She glanced up, and realised just how close Cheryl was to her.

Mere inches apart.

She hadn't seen her so clearly for two years and she was a lot to take it. Breathtaking, really. Toni felt her mouth go dry. She felt her heart racing like it only did when she was around Cheryl Blossom.

Cheryl swallowed thickly, and god, it was like everything was happening at once. Toni went from not being there, to being there, and it was like an overload.

It was no surprise that, out of instinct, Toni's hands moved to cup Cheryl's cheeks as she had done so many time before. Screw everything that held them back. Screw the past two years. Screw Penelope Blossom.

All that mattered in that moment was Cheryl Blossom and Toni Topaz. Two lovers who through no fault of their own had been broken apart, but only to come back together in the strangest of places.

Toni never believed in fate, but she was starting to.

So, as the pair finally drew into a close embrace, they both felt at home for the first time in two years.

Lips collided with force and passion, as if nothing had changed between them. In the kiss was everything. It was everything they needed to say, without words. It was everything they felt. Toni's lips brushed against Cheryl's, and Cheryl didn't even have to think about reciprocating. She kissed her back hungrily, the feeling of Toni's lips better than she ever remembered.

Kiss after kiss, and they were lost in each other. Hands exploring territory that both have them had only dreamed of for for the past two years.

Hours felt like minutes, and when their lips finally parted, they were on the couch. Breathless and so in love.

"I uh… Didn't expect tonight to turn out like this." Toni said, chuckling breathlessly.

"Oh, TT. You always know just what to say."


End file.
